Brutal Knights

Adored for their apocalyptic take on formative hardcore ― supported by a modest punk rock'n'roll influence ― Toronto, ON quintet Brutal Knights return with 12 expedient, explosive, ephemeral shots of grinding power chords, hyperactive drums and gritty vocals on Blown 2 Completion. A surprisingly vicious bout of furious fretwork, sans wankery, yet packed with snide humour and the feeling of being in the middle of an aural napalm drop, it readily redefines the meaning of "no frills," "aggressive" and "brusque." As expected, lyrics range from the disturbingly, and presumably unintentionally, insightful to the downright ridiculous, most notably on juvenile bouts "Bad Choice" "Sky Mall" and "Take Breaks." The union of oddball words and steamrolling music is entirely refreshing; it offers a unique approach to a genre otherwise burdened by outright foolishness or browbeating politics. With unending energy, volatile delivery and succinctness, these 18-and-a-half minutes are easily the band's best to date.